


Attack on Vampire Online

by AandA_Shizzle



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Sword Art Online, Vampire Knight
Genre: Angst, Crossover, Gen, Titans, Vampires, Violence, au kinda, blood mention, gore mention, one hell of a crossover, seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-19 04:35:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4732994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AandA_Shizzle/pseuds/AandA_Shizzle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three boys get ready to play the new VRMMORPG game 'Sword Art Online'. It's only a game. How bad could it be? How could they have known there would be a new update in the world of Aincrad which would change their lives forever. A Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan)/Sword Art Online/Vampire Knight cross over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

_Today's the day_  the boy thought as he picked up his Nerve Gear. All morning he had watched the reactions of everyone all over the world, each one of them buzzing to play the possible game of the year.  _They should be excited._  He had waited ages to finally return,  _'Sword Art Online'_. The boy was completely alone in his house - his mom was at work and his sister at Kendo class, neither would be due back for hours. The boy's name was Kirigaya Kazuto- but you can call him Kirito. He was one of the thousand Beta testers for 'Sword Art Online' and could not wait to return.

Meanwhile, in another part of town there was another boy checking out his new Nerve Gear- his name is Eren Jaeger. This boy was also excited to try  _'Sword Art Online'_  after hearing about it in the news. He was new to VRMMORPG games but one of his best friends, Armin Arlet, said it was as close to traveling around the world as they were going to get at their age and since Eren couldn't wait to travel, this would have to do. _How hard can they be_  he wondered as he checked the time. The time was 3:55pm- not long now until the launch. Eren was sure Armin had brought the game and had probably been lying on his bed all day. He hoped his other best friend was ready.

This friend in particular was Zero Kiryu. He also was stood in his room, getting ready to enter the game. He didn't think much of VRMMORPG games, in his eyes they were rather pointless. Sad little fairy tales for people who couldn't be bothered to move. But after weeks of Eren begging him to pre-order it - he finally did. Reluctantly. Now that he had it though he had to admit he was excited, although nervous at the same time.  _Not long now._

The time was now 3:58pm. All three boys, all in their separate rooms put on their Nerve Gear and switched it on. The mixture of excitement and nervousness filled the air as they lay down on their beds. They all started to count down.

10 seconds – Kirito closed his eyes and took deep breaths,

7 seconds – Eren intensely stared at the clock, willing time to pass quicker,

5 seconds – Zero lay still staring at the ceiling wondering what he will see,

3, 2, 1,

4:00pm

"Link start!"

They entered the game- having no idea just what was going to happen on the other side.


	2. Announcement

_"You cannot log out of SAO yourselves, if anyone attempts to remove your nerve gear from the outside world, a powerful wave will be transmitted. Destroying your brain and therefore, your life. The same goes in-game. I have removed all revival features so if your HP bar reaches zero - your avatar will be destroyed. Along with your life"_

_~~~_

**Kirito POV**

The announcement Kayaba Akihiko, the creator of  _Sword Art Online,_ made rang in my ears until the message finally sunk in. _"You cannot log out"_. That's what he said.  _"If your HP bar reaches zero- your avatar will be destroyed. Along with your life"_. My thoughts wandered to my sister and mother at home - how were they now? A wave of pure confusion struck me  _why would he do this?_  I snapped back into reality - the commotion around me was getting louder and louder. People screaming, crying, shouting curses. I remembered that our avatars had been changed to our real selves after Kayaba left.  _That's why we had to answer those questions about ourselves._ I examined my hands, which were held in fists. They were my hands... they even had the paper cut I had accidentally inflicted on myself while opening up tis mornings package. The package i was so excited for earlier.

"Kirito?" Came a confused voice from behind me. I turned to see Klein- well, the real Klein. He now had shorter hair that was red and not the weird color his avatar had, and a small amount of stubble on his chin, hinting he must be a few years older than me. When we first got into the game - almost three hours ago I had helped Klein get used to the game and fighting techniques. It was actually fun watching him and guiding him. Hard to believe three hours ago I was watching him get beat up by a pig and just senselessly laughing. Now I know that he could have died. I could have watched a new friend die without even realizing that I was watching him die! _  
_

_Calm._ I came back to my senses "Klein" I replied "We gotta go, now, come on". I turned around and ran to one of the alleyways leading out of the beginner's village.  _Calm._  I heard footsteps behind me along with shallow breaths and guessed they were Klein's as I came to a stop and turned to face him.

"What's going on Kirito?" He questioned me, while rubbing the back of his head. Fear and confusion clear in his now prominent brown eyes.

I sighed "The only way we are going to survive in here is if we level up to be strong." I stated carefully. Last thing i needed was Klein freaking out. "If we start heading over to the next village now then we can get the best items before everyone else does" I try to manage a weak smile.

Klein stares at me dumbfounded. "What?" his voice barely above a whisper. He clears his throat and looks me straight in the eye "I have friends back there Kirito. I can't leave them in all that chaos" He brings his hand to the back of his neck. Must be a nervous reflex. "You can come with me. You can meet my friends and we can find away out of here together!" He exclaims, a huge grin forming on his face. I couldn't stop my reaction. I kind of flinched and stared at him.

I slightly turn from him looking down the alley way towards the next town. If it was just Klein I could have gotten used to it. I could have managed looking out for one other person, but a group... that is too many. Way to many people to be responsible for. "No" I mumble "I can't, I am sorry". I keep my eyes on the floor as I am unable to look him in the eye.

To my surprise he takes it rather well, making promises of meeting up soon so I can see how good he will get and how i have helped him a lot by starting him off. I can't stop the sickening feeling that I may never meet this idiot again. It will be so easy to die on the game, but I manage a small smile in his general direction nonetheless.

I turn and sprint. I'm not sure it's the right way but I leave with a small goodbye to Klein. I couldn't bear to look him in the eye though. He knows I'm a beta and will probably judge me for not helping ordinary players. But I have to survive. I have to get home to my mother and sister.

_I am going to survive._

_~~~_

**Eren POV**

_What!_  I couldn't believe what i just heard.  _We are trapped_. Everyone just kind of stared at the place where Kayaba Akihiko had just been for a few seconds until it sunk in. Then it kinda hit everyone like a punch in the face _. Trapped._  Everyone went into an uproar of anger and panic, looking to each other for answers while I stood frozen in the mob of frantic players. "Damn" I mumbled glancing around me. I knew if I stayed I would soon get crushed but where was there to go? I could die at any moment by one wrong move.  _No_. Just then some guy with black hair knocked into me causing me to lose balance a bit. I also let out a 'watch it' but it sounded like a whisper to me. After him a guy with red hair mumbled a sorry and disappeared into the crowd to. Very lively people considering the news.  _Armin! Zero!_ I completely forgot about Armin and Zero. I hadn't had chance to meet up with them yet as Zero went straight out to train and god knows where Armin is.  _Training. Zero._  Kayaba had said some people had already died... I hope neither of those two were killed. I need to find them.

I started pushing through the crowd shouting out their names. There was way too many people with blond hair. Armin is going to be hard to find. Might have to listen out for his squeaky voice. Zero on the other hand should stick out like a sore thumb if he is here. Not many people should have is silvery, white hair. I still couldn't believe that his hair colour was natural…  _Focus._

No sign of either of them and my throat was starting to get sore. "Armin! Zero!" some people stopped acting crazy for a second to stare at me as if to say 'shut up' and then went back to screaming names out. Hypocrites. "Eren!" came a squeaky voice to my left "Eren!" That had to be Armin. I knocked into a girl and mumbled a quick sorry before continuing. I kind of understand how easy it is to knock into people now… "Eren!" his blond hair came into view and I raced towards my friend. He looked terrified. A few tears stained his pale cheeks as he stared at me in utter disbelief.

"Don't worry, we are gonna be okay." I stated rather blankly. Giving no hope to my friend who was clearly on the verge of a break down. "We are gonna be okay, I promise" I said sounding less like a robot this time and giving a small smile to back it up. "We need to find Zero" Armin seemed to calm himself down a bit and nodded. I took off making sure Armin was behind me, pushing through the crowd again looking for Zero.

_This shouldn't be so damn hard! He is rather tall and has silver hair for crying out loud._ "Over there!" Armin shouted to me. I looked round and there he was, coming out of an ally way. "Come on!" Armin sprinted towards Zero. Surprisingly I found it hard to keep up.

~~~

**Zero POV**

_You have to be kidding me._ Like everyone else I just kind of stared at the place Kayaba had been only seconds before giving out his sick announcement. You could literally pin point the second everyone got it. Their faces paled and then… boom! Screams and shouts from every direction. Some names but most of the shouts consisted of curses directed at the maker of SAO. I don't blame them.

Everyone started getting frantic and pushing people around so I made my way out of the crowds to somewhere less dangerous. I sat down on a crate and looked over the mob of people.  _And we are all stuck here._  I glanced round just as a guy around my age with black hair pushed his way out of the crowds and ducked into one of the alley ways followed by a man who couldn't have been much older with red hair. Obviously smart enough to get a head start while everyone else was here. I debated on whether to follow them or not as it would be good to get all the good stuff while it was still up to be won.  _Eren and Armin._  How could I forget them? Better find them and grab them quick.

I stand up and turn towards the swarm of people. I then turn back round. I do not want to fight my way through that presides Eren and Armin wouldn't be stupid enough to be in the center of that. I duck into the alley way the two guys ran through and walk slowly as the last thing I needed was to get lost. I was about to turn off down another alley that seemed to link round just as the guy with red hair ran past me knocking me slightly. "Sorry man!" He called back to me. He seemed to be going back towards the crowds  _where's the other guy?_ I shook off that thought, putting it under the category of I couldn't care less and started walking again. I just needed to find Eren and Armin. Just as I thought the alley linked back round to the crowds on the other side.

I just walked out of the alley way when Armin's high-pitched voice came out of the enormous crowds. Armin and Eren came racing towards me, both like everyone else, pale and wide-eyed. Although Eren looked more annoyed than scared whereas Armin looked like he was going to have a break down any second. "Zero" Armin stared at me "We are trapped!"

"You don't say" I mumbled while rolling my eyes. Eren glared at me which just caused me to roll my eyes again. Armin was obviously still trying to get his head round our situation but come on, I am not stupid. "Follow me" I turn around and head back into the alley way. I stopped when the commotion in the square was quieter so we could hear each other.

"What are we going to do?" Armin asked. His eyes were less wide and his face was regaining a bit of colour which meant it was less likely me and Eren would be carrying him out of here. "We have to head to the next village" I tell them. I don't want to rush them but better to leave now then later. Eren nods slightly "before all the good stuff is gone" he smirks. Armin starts walking towards the end of the alley way, heading towards the next town. "Come on then" His voice quivering. Me and Eren follow, hands on our weapons and preparing for all those monsters out there that can now actually kill us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya!
> 
> Welp, finally managed to finish this hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed writing it. The next chapter is when things begin to get fun!
> 
> WE DO NOT own Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack On Titan), Sword Art Online OR Vampire Knight.
> 
> Until next time,
> 
> Melieboo  
> Amberoo


	3. Midnight

**Eren POV**

_*3 Months Later*_

The hostile boar that was attacking us only moments ago evaporated into tiny pixels before my very eyes. After checking the landscape was clear again, I slid my sword back into the sheath resting on my back. I heard Zero sigh next to me and when I looked over he was kneeling on the ground, his white hair resting on his eyes. Breathing out a laugh I made my way over to him.

"You okay there Zero?" I held out a hand which he took, allowing him to stand up easily.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, getting it out of the way of his face. "Yeah, I'm just tired" he smiled, well, grimaced towards me before continuing; "It's a shame that the boar didn't drop anything though, I'm starving"

As if on cue, my stomach groaned in response. I laughed "Yeah, well Armin should be back soon with the girls, they should have found something for us to eat".

I didn't get a reply from Zero after that. But it was okay. It seems like ever since we got trapped here there had been nothing but silence, so I had to admit I enjoyed listening to the wind brushing through the trees and the birds softly singing. Taking in the moment, I began to look around at the landscape of Floor 2.

Yeah, we finally made it. Whilst beating the boss didn't prove to be as difficult as we had imagined, many lives were lost in the process. Remembering that day still brought a shudder to my body, watching people die around me in an instant. Watching them, knowing they would never wake up again. I guess in the long run, it made me realise how tough this world is. How much its determined to ruin us and those around us.

Thankfully, before I got too deep into my thoughts a voice from the distance distracted me. Instantly I recognized it as Armin's. I mean, It is pretty hard to not recognize the slightly high-pitched tone of his voice. I looked up and saw him coming towards us with Asuna and Mikasa following behind him, they all had smiles on their face which was a good thing.

"Eren~, Zero~!" Armin shouted to us with that huge dorky grin of his plastered on his face. I glanced at Zero through the corner of my eye and noticed that even he had a slight smile ghosting his lips. Huh, So even Zero couldn't resist Armin's infectious happy aura - if that's what you would call it. He always had a positive air about things and tried to make the best of a situation. I think that's what we needed though, a metaphorical candle shining when everything is crumbling around us.  _Ah, there I go again_. I mentally curse myself for drifting into my thoughts and try to tune back into the current conversation.

"We couldn't find any meat but these fruits will taste good stewed I think...Asuna will have to try something with it". That was Mikasa speaking, her and Asuna were new to our group as we met them about a week after everyone got trapped after we rescued them from a snake attack. Asuna was kind and light-hearted but also an amazing fighter, she had really improved after joining us. Mikasa...well I'm still not sure what to make of her. She's quiet and quite secretive but with a lethal fighting side, I decided to keep my eye on her to make sure she was trustworthy.

Asuna spoke up again "Yes, I do want to improve my cooking skill so I'll see what I can do. I think we still have some herbs left at the inn?"

We had begun walking again by now, heading back to a small village on floor 2 where we were staying. We tried to stay on the move a lot and besides, we didn't have anywhere near enough money to buy our own place. Light conversation took place but I didn't pay much attention, my head was busy with thoughts and I was trying to keep my eyes on the landscape for hostile creatures.

It took another 15 minutes to get back to our room in the town. There was some sort of hold up in the market square, people crowding round a messenger standing on the fountain. I didn't catch much of the talking due to the commotion but I could have sworn I heard the word 'Vampire' in there. Huh, probably one of those stupid rumours going around made to create drama. There was no use listening to the stuff they put in the newspaper, most of it was nonsense.

Back in our room now, I collapsed onto the sofa and let out the long breath I didn't realise I was holding. Asuna and Armin were in the Inns communal kitchen while Mikasa and Zero went to the weapon market down the road to try and sell some supplies we had. So, for now, it was just me. I was just about to close my eyes when I heard Armin call through the door;

"Eren~ Dinner's done!". I groaned audibly and heading out to Armin, where we then walked in silence to the lounge room. Sometimes I wished the cooking in this game was more realistic, therefore giving me more time to rest.

I took a plate from the pile near the door and spooned some of the stew on top before sitting down, mumbling a thanks to Asuna. I had to be grateful to her, I never realised how good foods could taste in this game until we found her.

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, thankfully. Even though I didn't like silence all the time, sometimes it was refreshing at the same time. Mikasa and Zero had returned by now, glum looks on their faces since they hadn't managed to get any good deals. Finishing the last bites of my meal I sighed and rested my head on the wooden tabletop, feeling slightly refreshed after the warming meal.

*Several Hours Later*

I woke with a start. Glancing at the clock on the top left corned of my screen I had to stifle a sigh so I didn't wake up Zero and Armin.

_12:37 a_ _m_

I had only been asleep for about an hour. I had trouble sleeping since entering the game. No surprise there. But recently, it had gotten worse. I got out of my bed and opened my inventory, putting on my shoes and cloak. Standing up, I was careful to not wake up the two other boys as I crept out the room and down the corridor. Getting nearer to the balcony I was startled when I saw someone already standing there. It took a moment until I recognized the figure as Mikasa, It's pretty hard to miss her scarf billowing behind around her head.

As I got closer to her I cleared my throat slightly so I didn't startle her. She turned around to look at me and mumbled a 'Hi' before turning back around.

"Couldn't sleep?" I said after a moment. I didn't know why I chose to break the silence, but I had. The distance had closed more between us and I was now standing next to her, a couple of inches between our shoulders.

"Mhm" Came her reply. Honestly, I hadn't expected much more to come from her. But then she started talking again, her voice slow and steady.

"Well, I guess I could sleep, if I tried but...I don't think I want to"

That confused me. "What do you mean?" I asked, glancing at her. She was pretty, without a doubt. Her eyes were a light grey colour but the light from the street reflected off them, making them both look as bright as stars. Her hair, although short, was glossy black and blew gently in the wind.

"I mean, with this world being so cruel, we could die at any moment. I just want to spend the rest of my life admiring the view of everything around me instead of sleeping, considering that's all I'll be doing once I'm finally dead and then I'll just have the regrets of all the things I didn't get to see when I was awake"

That had to be the most I had ever heard Mikasa say. I considered her words for a moment, "But you don't know when you're going to die" I replied, frowning slightly.

"Maybe" She sighed "But I think It's much more exciting to see things rather than dream about them. I'm going to head back now, it can't hurt to get in some rest before tomorrow. You coming?" She looked at me as she turned around.

I stifled a yawn, "No, you go on back, I think I want to see things for a little longer".

Mikasa smiled and left me alone, gazing at the stars, thoughts clouded with red scarf's and black hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many time skips ugh, but once major plot things happen there shouldn't be as many!
> 
> Until next time my friends,  
> ~Amberoo


	4. Red

**Zero POV**

I doubt anyone can claim they have had a decent nights sleep since we got trapped in the game, but Eren has always slept a lot no matter what. So watching him lie awake now is strange. I go to ask him if he is alright then think better of it. He normally likes to deal with his problems, asking will probably just make him go into defensive mode and I am not in the mood for that. He suddenly sits up and quietly gets out of bed. I close my eyes swiftly and even my breathing as much as possible. I can tell he does not want to disturb me or Armin as he sneaks out of the room.

_*4:00am*_

Eren came back about an hour and a half after leaving, entering the room with a sigh. His head hit the pillow and he's been out cold ever since.

When he started snoring I couldn't help but audibly groan in frustration because 1) Sleep was going to come less easily now he's started and 2) I found myself wanting to talk to him. But what was there to talk about? So I left him to sleep. I tried to sleep once or twice but every time my eyes closed I saw the faces of the startled people finding out they were stuck here; the faces of people who watched their friends explode into fleeting pixels when they were killed by the boss not to long ago. We were lucky. We all made it, for now.

I know Eren and Armin miss their families, Armin used to cry at night over them, silent tears staining his face and the white cover of his pillow. I am the only person that knew and it still took me at least two weeks to pick up on it. When I spotted him bolt upright with red, puffy eyes from a nightmare. But he always put on a brave face in the morning as if it never happened. Eren just kind of mumbled. It was almost as annoying as his god forsaken snoring.

I sigh and look back at the clock.  _4:10am._ Why does time pass so slowly when you want it to be morning?

* _7:00am*_

I had got up around five thirty as I found that I had officially memorized the entire ceiling and that's just sad. I went for a walk to see if any part of the market had opened early but of course that was stupid. Even if you cannot sleep well here you can still rest in bed. So I did a lap of the city. What was weird was that I felt I was being watched, I soon became sure that beady eyes were staring at me from the shadows. But as soon as the sun started to rise the feeling subsided. Must of just been some shady characters still lurking around that decided to avoid me. Good choice.

I then headed back to the others. I opened the door to find Mikasa staring out of the tiny window and Eren messing about with his weapon. Armin's high pitched voice and Asuna's laugh came from down the hall indicating where they were.

"There you are!" Eren looked up and smiled "I was about to go looking for you". He placed his sword back in his sheath and leaned it against the wall. I sat down on the sofa mumbling an apology before opening up my inventory. We needed more money, but no one was willing to buy our stuff for reasonable prices. Armin and Asuna soon called us for breakfast which we quickly sat down for. The only communication normally was through small glances and half smiles, but today we had to train again, which meant we needed to discuss a plan. We have decided to try to come up with a new battle strategy everyday for a week and test them on the boars in the meadows or forests, so then for the next two weeks we practice the quickest and most effective ones.

_*9:30am*_

"Eren look out!" Armin screamed as the boar raced at a dazed Eren. The idiot didn't follow the plan as per usual thinking he could handle it before we had even done much damage. Don't get me wrong in many ways Eren is a great fighter, his sword skill was high and therefore brilliant, as for his fighting spirit he would never give up. But his ability to listen and observe the situation was somewhat lacking. He snapped out of his dazed state, shooting up he dodged the boar just in time, also managing to slice its side. The red pixels covering the area as a way of showing injury. Clearly annoyed the beast charged again.

Just as I was running over to intercept Mikasa had hit the boar from the side causing it to veer off from Eren and towards Asuna. Mikasa by most standards was amazing. She was deadly with her weapon and would protect the people closest to her with her life. We found that out when we first met her and Asuna during the boss battle. However she does prefer to fight alone, with her strength she probably could, but its still an issue considering we are a guild now.

"Its weak! Asuna hit it from the left then Zero take it out by hitting it square on." Armin's squeaky voice straining to be heard over the boars resentful cries. Although lacking physical strength stuck in a game or not Armin has always been by far the brains. He could make up the most bazaar battle strategy ever but we would never doubt if it would work, for the plain fact that it always did.

Asuna follows through with Armin's plan, hitting it from the left so it will come charging at me. Asuna's skill has got a lot better since joining us and her speed has always been something to admire. After getting stuck in the game she mainly focused on her speed level  _strength alone will not help you win_  she had once told us at the dinner table and she sure as hell proved it. Her downfall is that she sometimes hesitates as if she do'sent believe in her own abilities. She had helped a guy fight the boss at the battle and he had said something to her that she has never really told us about. It made her determined to get stronger though.

As the boar gets closer to me I finally draw my sword and even my breathing.  _1 2 3..._ I twist to the right and bring my sword up slicing its head clean off, making it evaporate into the tiny pixels that head for the sky. This was only our second fight today... we must be killing them to quickly for the system to make more.

The good news it that it had dropped meat, the bad news was we will probably have to sell. A shame really.

"Good job guys!" Armin beamed. I used to think his constant optimism was annoying, but now its welcome. After all there isn't much to be happy about here, Armin's happy aura kind of lifts all of our spirits. Even I cant help but let a small smile form on my lips.

"You are to reckless sometimes Eren" Mikasa states ignoring Armin, with mild concern clouding her eyes. "I was fine, I could of handled it" Eren mumbles, obviously ticked off at Mikasa's 'fussing' as he would call it.

Asuna sits on the grass and stares at the sky for a second before turning to Armin "so is it possible or not?" Before we engaged ourselves into training Asuna had brought up a topic that had started buzzing around the people in the village we were staying in. A new update that has not yet been officially announced. Then again there will probably never be another announcement we just have to guess really. The supposed update involves a new kind of threat, more so then the odd animal that attacks you in the meadows, something more sinister by far. No one is actually sure what it is but there have been horrific attacks causing people to fall into a paralyzed state until they explode into pixels and die. Some have lived to tell the tale but disappear a few days later.

Asuna believes the stories but wants Armin's logical opinion as Eren laughed at the idea and my simple statement of "bulls**t" was not good enough for her.

Before Armin could reply a blood curdling scream came from the woods not to far from where we were. Eren's grinning face fell as Asuna and Armin's faces paled. "What are we waiting for?" Mikasa said unfazed by the scream as she turned to run towards it. I ran at her heels and eventually felt the presence of the others behind me, after collecting themselves.

"I hope we aren't to late!" Asuna stated as we got closer to a clearing. As an indication that we weren't to late the scream reached our ears again but this time with more panic and drowned in pain. Mikasa has stopped, eyes wide and mouth agape which was seriously concerning. We all lined up next to her taking in the site. There sat a young girl, no older then eleven chocking out sobs and small screams while not to far away a older girl was in the grasp of a freakishly tall man with completely pale skin. His eyes were the same deadly shade of red then the player sign above his head. A player that killed people for the hell of it. The older girl had stab wounds all over her body and just before we could do anything he slammed his knife into her neck.

Another scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's loads of plot holes & spelling mistakes, but hopefully we will get around to editing them (eventually)
> 
> All for now,  
> ~Melieboo


	5. Blood

***Kirito POV***

The distressed scream pierced my ears just as I was leaving the forest and my body went rigid, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on edge. I slowly turn around, looking through the forage like it was going to tell me I was hearing things. I hear a lot of screams and cries of pain in my head lately, so its hard to distinguish reality from sick mind tricks.

But then it rips through me again, this time more shrill and desperate. I sprint towards the sound. It is almost like the whole area has gone quiet allowing the scream to be all the more disturbing and haunting. All I know is that I have to get there, I know people are dying everyday and I have been telling myself not to care. But how can you not when you would want someone to help you?

I am about to reach a clearing just another pain filled scream erupts into the air. As I get closer I can hear small sobs and tiny strangled screams. What ever is happening it is not good. I finally come to a halt in the clearing, in front of me is a group of five people with their weapons drawn. They all circled a young girl on the floor all most protectively, who was gasping for air through thick sobs climbing up her throat. I turn to where they are staring to find a tall dark figure, it didn't take me long to notice the red player mark above his head, indicating where the pain filled screams had come from. I was to late.

I snap into action, pulling out my sword and getting into position. This asshole will not get away with what he has done. The one thing I hate more than anything is people thinking it's okay to take someone else's life away from them.

The red player snaps his head away from the group of people in front of him towards me. Bad move.

One of the group leaves the circle while shouting a string of curses, their sword raised high above their head. The man seems amused as at the last second he moves at a drastic speed confusing the boy who had gone to attack him. The red player goes to grab the boy, when a familiar girl runs up from behind and stabs him in the leg. He curses and whips around, kicking his opposite leg out and catching her in the rib-cage - sending her flying into a tree. That's when I attack; I charge forward and build up my attack, then lunge in one swift move. My blade comes into contact with the distracted red player and it pierces his side, causing him to roar in pain.

He tries to hit me with his sword in return but fails when two others from the group, a boy and a girl, standing near the injured girl run forwards and grab either side of the red player, then haul him backwards by his arms and slam his entire body into the floor - causing him to growl out in pain. As they hold him down I strut over and hold the tip of my blade against his throat.

"Who the hell are you?" The angry shouting boy seethes through his teeth, coming closer.

"Someone you wish you hadn't messed with" The red player grins and I grip the hilt of my sword tighter, faltering when I notice something lurking inside his mouth. Long fangs that are drenched in red, some of it trickling down his chin.

I look up at the other people around me and I can tell they noticed the same thing that I did, the looks on their faces all read confusion and wonder.

The red player snaps me out of my train of thought as he speaks again; "They are gonna come after you. You won't stop them. They will kill everyone you love, slowly and painfully, while you watch. You can't stop -"

I cut him off as I plunge the tip of my sword into his neck, causing him to choke. The red pixels explode everywhere, telling us that he was dead. I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding along with some of the others. Standing up, I look at my surroundings and notice the girl from before beginning to move against the tree where she was kicked into. Placing back my sword I made my way over to her and held her arm, steadying the wobbly movements;

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just winded me that's all" She breathes out and looks up to me, I think about how I thought I recognized her and the realization hits me.

The orange-brown hair with the two braids, and the matching eyes. "Asuna?"

"Kirito!" She gasps in reply and smiles a smile which causes my heart to beat slightly quicker.

One of the group that she was with made their way over. She had short black hair and a red scarf wrapped around her neck; "You know him Asuna?" she questions, and frowns slightly at me. Asuna nods happily and begins to explain how we met towards the beginning of the hell game. After a while they all claim to vaguely remember me from the first boss battle - the one where Asuna and I had been the ones to deliver the final blow to the monster that faced us.

We all stood there in an awkward silence for a moment, unsure what to say until a boy with blond hair and striking blue eyes stepped towards me, hand outstretched. ''Hi, I am Armin'' his squeaky voice strains, I guess he is still rather shook up. ''This is Eren, Zero and Mikasa'' I nod in their direction and take note of their names. Eren a boy with dark hair and green eyes gives a small smile and wave. Zero a tall boy with silvery white hair and eyes looks me over with a bored expression before walking over to the whimpering girl. Mikasa is the girl with the red scarf, she eyes me still cautious before following Zero. ''Don't worry about them'' Asuna chirps beside me ''they can be like that''. We walk over as Zero helps the girl to her feet and I notice Armin's skin pale further. ''I-I hate to ask'' he stutters ''b-but we need to k-now what happened. After we get back to the town of course'' he rushes the last sentence out. The girl was no longer crying but rather in some sort of daze ''Okay'' she mumbles after feels like an eternity.

The walk back to their inn was painfully silent, health potions were given to people who had injuries and small rolls of bread were distributed in an attempt to give us more energy. Although I wasn't officially invited, I decided to tag along to hear the story, that red player's last words bothered me for some reason.

The girl told us her and her sister were out training in the forest when he approached them. How they failed to see the red mark instantly confused me. They were not threatened by him until he started saying weird things about 'creatures of the night' and 'wide-spread death' and 'pain'. He had then ran forward and attacked them both. Her sister was killed, but she didn't see how. It was then that the group heard the screams and ran to the location.

Once she had finished the story and we had arrived at the inn, she informed us that she was sleepy. I had to admit, she looked terrible with pale skin and tired eyes. Asuna took her to lie down in her and Mikasa's room.

Finding no reason to stay, I was ready to go my separate way when I heard Armin call out to me; "Hey, Kirito! Are you leaving? We have food for everyone and a spare couch if you want to stay the night?"

I hesitate for a moment before tuning around and sighing; "Yeah, if that's okay with everyone else". There was a series of nods and mumbled 'Yes' as I followed the others into the small rooms.

...

I shot awake when a scream pierced my ears. It was the girl. I shot up from the couch and ran towards the sound. I hear footsteps behind me so i guess the others heard it to. I round the corner into the room she was sharing with Asuna and Mikasa, just as I see her hit the floor, Asuna sprints over from where she stood by her bed and helped her up while releasing a jumble of frantic sounds, which may be questions. The girls eyes were closed and she was a ghostly white. I don't know why no one has noticed till now but on her neck was two blazing red puncture wounds...  _was she bit by something? Can we even have long term wounds in the game?_

I'm ripped from my thoughts when the girl screams again "Make it stop! The pain make it stop!" Asuna tries to calm her down but she is pushed away violently. I grab the girls arm and pull her back as Armin helps Asuna. The girls turns to me, eyes snapping open. They were shinning blood red. The shock halts me and allows the girl the kick me in the stomach with a strength I never noticed she had before. I slide to the ground and watch as Zero and Eren chase her down the corridor and to the balcony calling for her. Mikasa pulls me up by my arm and we follow.

By the time we reached the balcony, the girl was standing on the rail. We all froze and then it went in slow motion. Eren lunged forward to grab her as she jumped backwards with one final piercing crimson glare in our direction. We all run and look over the side as the girl turns to pixels and vanishes into the night air.

We never even knew her name.


	6. Update

***Eren POV***

I walked among the stalls trying to find anything worth buying. With a limited amount of money and items we had to be picky as well as smart... probably why it was normally Mikasa and Zero who went out to buy and trade.

It had been a few weeks since that girl we saved killed herself but we still haven't said much about it. Zero said something about it being better to forget it ever happened... that people can still go crazy and kill themselves as a way out. Still we all find ourselves from time to time making sure Asuna is okay as she blames herself for happened. But how could anybody predict that was going to happen?

Stupid game... I will win it and get them all out of this hell hole.

I release a frustrated sigh as I drop to sit on a bench and bury my face in my hands. I look up to see Kirito heading towards me looking as tired as I felt. He decided to accept our offer and stick around, for now anyway. He seems to calm Asuna down well enough but she is the only person who trusts him and he knows it. He sits down next to me anyway, instantly taking on a thoughtful expression as he stares into the crowd. I plan on ignoring his presence until he speaks up. "That girl didn't just go crazy" I couldn't stop the shock from washing over my face but he doesn't seem to notice "she was perfectly fine after what happened... shaken, but fine". After a moment of silence I shrug my shoulders.

"She watched someone she was close to get murdered by a mad red player, that could surly mess someone up" I mutter while leaning back to stare at the sky.

"That doesn't explain her eyes" He retaliates. He had a point. But there was no way to explain what happened. "It wasn't just her, I listened into a conversation while looking round... she wasn't a one off case" he continues, more to himself then to me but I heard nonetheless.

"I thought you were a secretive guy, so why are you telling me this?" I sigh finally meeting his eyes. He looks at me seriously "It's not something that would be good to talk to Asuna or Armin about currently. Plus you are not trying to brush it off as nothing like Zero and Mikasa who better to share ideas with?" I cross my arms for a minute before frowning "You want me to help you snoop around into these other cases and find an explanation" He swiftly nods adding something about that he would do it alone if he could.

I pause for a moment, weighing out the pros and cons of this. Then reluctantly I nod;

"Okay, so what have you got so far?"

he smirks before going into his ideas. Apparently there has been a lot of cases about people getting attacked lately by mysterious red players. They are all believed to be part of the same group and everybody they attack end up the same. Pale, red eyed and known to have weird bite marks. After that they either commit suicide or go missing.

"Many people claim the red players are vampires" Kirito finally states, marking the end of the information he had to tell me.

"Were there vampires in the beta?" I find myself asking. It is no longer a secret that Kirito was one of the beta players, his knowledge can come in handy, but he didn't really help any of us newbies who were freaking out at the start of all this... how the hell can you trust someone like that?

"Not at all... maybe they were added?" He suggests after a moment of thought. "To what? Kill people? What purpose could that serve? People probably die everyday still anyway" The last part I mumble to make sure no body hears but Kirito. People were finally getting to grips with living here... no need to freak them out. Kirito turns away from me as if to think for a minute. "I don't know"

The silence that follows is uncomfortable. Kirito's eyes stay on the ground while I tap my fingers on my leg trying to think of something to say. I couldn't think of anything so I stood up and stretched, "maybe we should get back to the others" I suggest, not turning back to look at him. He doesn't answer but he gets up and follows me, presumably before I walked out of sight.

*Time skip*

We decided to take a break for a while. We had been training in the forest just outside the town since me and Kirito met up with the others, which was apparently a while ago according to Armin. I found it hard to keep track of time when fighting, it feels like it is happening so quick. Asuna shares out some sandwiches before walking off to sit with Kirito, who had chose to sit as far away as possible from us. We could hear mumbles from them which indicated they were talking about something they did not want us to hear. I wonder if he decided to tell Asuna after all. When she giggles I scrap that idea.

"I still don't trust him" Mikasa mumbles as she glances over at him and Zero nods his head slightly in agreement. Armin says something about how we should try to give Kirito a chance to which causes both Mikasa and Zero to stare at him. "He is not that bad really!" Armin squeaks trying to justify himself. Before I can add anything a booming voice echos throughout the forest. It takes us a moment to realize that it was coming from the sky.

"Attention Players. As most of you have noticed, there has been some... strange occurrences lately. It is just something that has been recently added to the game. An update as it were. I sincerely hope you enjoy it" The last sentence catches us all the most. "This will be the only announcement" we sit in stunned silence for a moment.

"W-what do you think the u-update is?" Armin manages to stutter out. I turn to Kirito to find he is looking at me.

The update couldn't possibly be vampires... could it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally getting the first part of the plot in now! We have a few ideas as to where it is going so that's something for you to look forward to!
> 
> Any comments/kudos given is greatly appreciated!


	7. Lost

*Zero POV*

No one really answers Armin. I guess we were all to shocked to say anything. That is when I notice Eren and Kirito turning to each other. "What do you two know?" It came out louder then I thought it would causing them both to cringe.

"Uh... well" Eren starts "uh... ask him!" he points at Kirito.

Everyone slowly turns their heads towards Kirito who in turn began to bore a hole into Eren;

"Kirito-kun, do you know something?" Asuna questions him.

He sighs and scratches his head before saying "There have been rumors recently that are starting to make a lot more sense" He coughs before going into an awkward ramble of ideas until he realizes we are all waiting or him to get to the point. "The rumor is that basically these red players that have been attacking people are Vampires"

I scoff "vampires? Are you kidding me?" a dry laugh emerges from my lips and everyone turns to look at me.

I continue, "I mean, its ridiculous! These red players are obviously just normal people who have gone psycho from the whole being-trapped-in-a-video game thing!"

"Then how do you explain what happened to the girl from last week?! If you think about it, it makes sense Zero!" Eren stands up and shouts at me, the others all have displeased expressions pointed at me.

"It could be possible" Armin says, "If he can trap us in a video game then who says he cant introduce vampires?"

I feel the anger boiling inside of me. I can't believe that they all believe such a stupidly far fetched rumor that is probably being spread by the lunatics in question. When was the last time they thought logically? Suddenly, I feel very claustrophobic so I stand up abruptly and spit out "I really thought you would be better than this, this game really has turned you insane if you can believe in something as dumb as this. I'm leaving."

I turn around and begin to walk away from the group;

"Where are you going Zero? Come back please, it's getting late" Asuna calls out.

"Just leave him be Asuna, he can handle himself" Kirito sighs.

I roll my eyes. How dare he act like he knows me. I head into the thick forest, leaving my friends behind.

*Approximately half an hour later*

I hate to admit it, but i'm lost. The global map doesn't update this far away from the town center so I just wander around the trees for a while and try to clear my head. The more I think about the update, the more I begin to doubt my own thoughts on the subject.

Maybe they were right, maybe this is possible,the guy who made the game is obviously far from sane so his actions don't have to make sense. I guess thinking about the possibility of vampires stressed me out, I didn't want to believe that there would be another thing out there trying to kill us. It would be another addition to the list of things that could kill my friends and I didn't want that to happen.

I audibly groan, then kick a tree. I wish that I knew where I was so I could turn myself around and head back to the group, but I can't because I took action before I thought about what I was doing, as per usual.

There's a snapping of branches in the bushes behind me and I instantly draw my sword and ready it for attack. That's when I notice the faint red hue slipping through the branches, I grip the hilt of my sword tighter.

A figure slowly materializes, getting clearer and clearer as it makes it's way through the thick overgrow. I notice the player mark above their head, as well as the blood red color of it.

"My, my, look what we have here" A deep cold voice echoes in the trees as a tall male figure steps through the branches and into the clearing, his grinning face illuminated by the moonlight.

"What do you want?" I manage to spit at him. My anger at myself and my stupidity seeping into my words.

"I'm just wondering what a player like you is doing out all alone in the deepest part of the forest, at night I should also add"

"It's none of your business."

"Oh look, I'm forgetting my manners, allow me to introduce us all"

'Us?' I think, before hearing movement behind me. I whip around with my sword and come face to face with 3 other red players, their sly grins glinted menacingly in the dark light. The voice continues, but I keep my eyes fixated on the others.

"My name is Senri, and these are my friends. We would love to welcome you back to our camp and offer you some food and a place to rest for a while, you must be tired being so deep into these woods"

"I'd rather not thanks, I can see your player color you know?" I try to reply curtly but the bite is still evident in my voice. The last thing I wanted was to anger this group so I needed to control myself.

"Ah, we may be red-players but I assure you it's for all the right reasons. Why don't you come along just for a while? Please" He said, the please he said with a dark tone.

"No, I should really be getting back to the town"

I turn away and try to walk in a straight line, praying that my nerves don't cause my knees to buckle. There was no sound of movement but somehow I felt a pair of hands gripped around my arms instantaneously. Then Senri appears in front of me, at an impossible speed.

"I don't think you understand your position here. I wasn't asking. I was telling you."

Struggling became pointless when I realized he was to strong so simply throw off, so I tired something else. My spit landed in his eye which caused him recoil in shock. Before he could collect himself I land a solid kick to his stomach and run, not bothering to look back and see if that actually did anything to hurt him. His voice echos behind me furiously which I take as my cue to pick up speed.

Branches seem to appear out of no where and claw at my arms and my face and I trip every so often on a tree root. But I hear nothing. No footsteps of people following me, no shouting, just the crunching of leaves beneath my feet and my breath coming is small, struggled pants. I was almost out of the forest before I couldn't ignore the screaming agony in my chest anymore. I lean against a tree and check myself over. Apart from a few cuts inflicted onto me from the trees and brambles I was fines. I look up and inhale deeply, trying to catch my breath. This is a bad idea.

A figure runs our of no where and slams into my side, knocking us both to the floor. I try to regain my footing only to be hauled up by the stranger and slammed into tree I was resting at just a few seconds before. The landscape spins around me until the now blurry figure stands in front of me. His hand closes round my neck and pushes me into the bark. "That was the wrong move back there" someone snarls in my ear. I can't work out who it is. Is it Senri? Or one of his friends? My oxygen deprived brain begins to fail on me until the only thing I know how to do is claw at his hand. "I can feel your pulse". Black dots start to block my vision and my actions become slower. His head tilts to the side with a smirk "It is very strong" he throws me to the ground where I begin gulping air greedily, only to have him kick me in the stomach. The laughter that erupts from the figure is menacing and it causes fear to seep into my veins. In the darkness all I can make out is piercing red eyes and shining white teeth, the rest is just a silhouette getting closer and closer to me.

I find myself unable to get my body to move. My brain groggily tells my legs to work but they do not cooperate, they just lie sprawled out in front of me. All I can do is stare wide eyed as fangs appear in the mouth of my attacker. I cannot even get myself to yell when he grabs my shirt and yanks me forward.

And then there is pain, white hot pain. It's mostly in my neck. This is strange, in the game players don't usually feel pain at all. I try to scream, or struggle but it's hopeless. As my health bar nears 0, I black out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, sort of a cliffhanger here :)  
> Next chapter shall be up...sometime soon. Schools just started again so there may not be much time to write, but we will try!
> 
> Until next time friends,  
> ~Amberoo  
> ~Melieboo


	8. Zero?

*Kirito POV*

We all watch Zero head off into the forest. By their faces I could tell that every single one of them wanted to go after him, but it was far too dangerous. Sure they were all excellent fighters, but they all had downfalls. Downfalls which are likely to end with them shattering into pixels at this stage. I can't protect them all if we go after him. I just can't.  
Zero has a downfall too, but unlike the rest he is aware of it. He is not an idiot. That's why I hope, for the rest of the groups sake, that he comes to his senses and turns his ass around before it gets too dark. He can handle himself, but he takes too many chances.

*Half an hour later*

We head back to our room after ten minutes of me convincing them that he would be more likely to come back here then he is to go back to the clearing. But there is no sign of Zero. The others are noticing but are quiet. Asuna and Mikasa talk quietly in the corner about strategies, Armin is looking in the guide from the beta testers to see if there is anything about Vampires (there's not, they did not appear once during the beta test) and Eren is pacing. I go to tell him to stop but Armin gives me a look to not even try. He is worried about Zero too. He just copes with it in a much more annoying way compared to the others.  
Zero can handle himself, I am sure of it, but where is he? Why would he still be out when it is dark? We just got an announcement about Vampires for goodness sake. Calm down Kirito he is fine. If I start to worry they will get worse.  
He can take care of himself.

*An hour later*

Armin is the first to raise the question on everyone's mind by now. "Do you think he is okay?" none of us have an answer. He should be. He is! Where the hell is he.  
Eren, who finally stopped pacing to sit in a chair and sulk, looks up at Armin and then the rest of us "he should have cooled off by now" adds nothing to the atmosphere but more worry. Worry leads to panic. Thanks Eren.  
"We should go and look for him" Asuna states as she walks over to the door "he might be lost." I shake my head but think better of actually voicing my opinion. Eren or Mikasa would jump on me if I tried to stop them. They all knew the dangers but of course they are going to waltz out there anyway. All I could do was follow them out into the dark, cold night and hope no one ends up dead. Including Zero.  
We check all over the town first, on our guard for anything. We kept to the lit streets and looked cautiously down dark side roads. There was no sign of anyone, no gangs, no Zero and no Vampires. "You don't think he is still in the forest do you?" Armin's voice comes out more as a distressed squeak then the intended quiet whisper. But he may be right. Everyone goes pale as they look to the tall trees on the outskirts of the town. Something has happened to Zero.  
As it registers, Asuna takes in a shaking breath beside me, she is strong but I take her hand in mine anyway and squeeze. Eren looks about ready to run into the forest, sword raised and f-bombs flying but Mikasa and Armin grab an arm each. I am about to tell them we should all go back. That he is probably dead and we can go out and look tomorrow just to prove my point. But not knowing this instance will drive them crazy. He might be alive for all we know. "Go back to the room" I mutter to them. Asuna gives me a quizzical look. "I will go into the forest and look for Zero. You lot should head back to the room where it is safe. I will bring him back" Eren is about to go into an angry protest but Asuna beats him to it.  
"You cant go alone. What if something happens to you!" she whispers furiously "then who will help you. We are all going in to find Zero and that is that". I sigh.  
"Please Asuna don't. Just go back to the room all of you and wait for me." I turn and walk towards the forest, hoping Armin will talk sense into them all.  
*Ten minutes later*  
By this point I realize why Zero didn't come straight back. This forest is a labyrinth. He probably got lost as soon as he entered it and I start to get the feeling that I may be lost too. Everything looks the same! Thankfully I haven't come across anything dangerous as of yet. Unless you count the trees, which I have accidentally tripped over the roots of and walked into their branches a number of times. Stupid darkness.  
I hear a twig snap behind me, I quickly swivel round and raise my sword. Nothing. I can see and hear nothing but all at once I get the feeling that I am being watched. I decide to act cool and sheath my sword, and the eyes follow me as I walk further into the forest. The feeling gets more intense. I let whoever it is follow me. Make them feel as if they have the upper hand. Then I catch movement in the bushes to the right of me. I leap at it and unsheathe my sword and... an animal. I come face to face with the most harmless looking sprite I have seen in the game so far. I resist the urge to face palm. Whoever was following me now knows I am ready. I turn around and someone grabs me.  
I kick and elbow at the figure until I hear a familiar "dammit" I break free and turn to face Eren. "What are you doing here?" I make myself whisper as the others come out of the shadows.  
"Following you" Armin explains. "There are Vampire out here and you decide to greet me by grabbing me!" the fury and shock is evident as I not so quietly whisper.  
"You pulled your sword out at that harmless fluffy thing. Whatever entrance we would have made, it would have ended in pain. This way we were less likely to get stabbed" Eren mutters, rubbing where I elbowed him in his side. Asuna gives me an apologetic look when I turn my glare to her. Are they all crazy!  
As if reading my mind Mikasa sighs and starts heading down my original course. "We are here now, we might as well all look" They follow her and I resist the urge to yell at them all.  
I fall into a step behind them trying to calm down and get back to being aware of my surroundings. Asuna slows down and walks beside me "you cant blame us for worrying. Zero is missing after going out on his own. No one would find him if something happened to you too" I don't answer. "Don't sulk Kirito. It was Eren's idea to grab you, just be mad at him" she punched my arm playfully. Eren hears this and turns but makes no argument. He doesn't care if I am mad at him.  
After a while there is still no sign of Zero and we are all starting to look tired and defeated. "He might be back at the room now" Armin says optimistically, but you can tell he does not believe his own words. None of us do.  
Thankfully Mikasa manages to get us back to the outskirts of the town just as the sun begins to rise. None of us have said a word and we all turn to look glumly at each other. "Stupid!" Eren suddenly exclaims as he turns to punch the wall "how could he have been so stupid!" Armin looks about ready to burst into tears and then I realize. They have not lost a guild member, let alone a friend to this sick game yet.  
Out the corner of my eye I catch movement in the forest and turn towards it. A young man with black hair struggles out of the forest "there you are!" he sounds relieved "I saw you a while ago in the forest, but couldn't keep up obviously with this guy and shouting would have been idiotic" he flashes a polite smile. Obviously he is more ticked off then happy. We turn to see what he is dragging. A guy. A guy with unnaturally silver hair. "Zero!" Armin squeaks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! But school work has been a problem and finding time to write has been hard. I hope you enjoyed this chapter anyway. The next one is Eren's P.O.V ! Until next time,  
> ~Melieboo


	9. Wall

*Eren POV*

I reacted first by running over to get Zero, but this stranger seemed determined to help. The others led the way to our room, where we dropped Zero on his bed. Asuna was about to rush into medical mode when the stranger stated that it wouldn't be necessary, he had already done it himself and Zero just needed to rest now. We all stood in stunned silence, attempting to register what just happened. Except for Kirito. He gave us all dirty looks before turning to him "who are you?" his tone was far from friendly.

He smiled "nobody of any concern I can assure you" his voice was annoyingly calm and full of confidence. His dark eyes jumped around taking us all in "I found your friend exhausted in the forest, must have been in some kind of fight. He said something about friends before passing out. I did what I could before carrying him to find anyone, thankfully I was right in thinking that you were his friends."

"Thank you so much" Asuna smiled kindly. He only nods before focusing his gaze on Zero. "He should be awake by tomorrow, good luck" before we could wonder about the odd phrasing he used, he was leaving.

"You didn't actually answer my question" Kirito called to the man, coldly. He just chuckled and looked over his shoulder. For a fraction of a second I swear his eyes lit up red.

"Kaname"

*Time skip*

I awoke to the sound of Armin squeaking frantically. I turn over and watch slightly amused as little Armin tries to push a very aggravated looking Zero back down. I get up and walk over to them, letting out a cough to grab their attention. Zero stares blankly at me "tell him to leave me alone" I was surprised when I didn't catch a demanding tone. He just sounded tired. For some reason this made my anger flare.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" I growl, to which he just rolls his eyes. My anger must be a calling beacon as Mikasa, Asuna and Kirito race to us.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Kirito asks in a tone that was way calmer than mine, but was scolded by Asuna. Armin takes a shaky breath "can you at least tell us what happened to you" he asked in a surprisingly calm tone. Zero at this point was staring at his hands, there was a long pause before he answered.

"I don't remember" his voice was distant. The fact he never spoke his mind always pissed me off and the fact he was doing it now after disappearing pissed me off even more. Before I could yell at him though, a screech was heard from outside. Surprisingly, Zero was the first to run towards it.

We burst through the door and found that the usual calm atmosphere had changed into panic. Rightfully so. A giant wall now encased the town, blocking the view of the fields and dividing us from the forest we were in just last night. "Is this part of the update too?" Asuna questioned as we turn to face the crowd of people surging towards what appears to be the only gate in the wall. "Why would we need such large walls?" It was more of a question to myself, but Mikasa answers "To keep the Vampires out?"

"Vampires?" Zero I think. The crowd surges again. It appears as if they can't get out.

"Surely the walls wouldn't need to be colossal just to keep out a few Vampires" Armin states.

"What Vampires?"

"Why is the gate closed?" Kirito stopped pacing to observe the crowd.

"What Vampires?!" We all turn to an annoyed Zero "you lot aren't still hooked on that stupid idea are you?"

"It's not stupid Zero!" I turn to him finally losing my temper with him "Why can't you g- Zero? Zero?" The anger had left his eyes and his face turned paler then usual. "Zero?" I reach out as his leg's buckle beneath him. Thankfully Mikasa catches him before he hits the ground and helps him sit against the wall. "You are right" he whispers "damn" he repeats over and over again. Before we can question a young boy runs past, yelling about big naked people.

What the actual fu-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry this took soooooooo long but now that exams are out of the way updates should no longer take as long. Also sorry this chapter is so short, they will get longer again.
> 
> Until next time,
> 
> ~Melieboo


End file.
